Door construction



March 5, 1963 o. R. KLEIN DooR CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Shea?I 1 Filed OCL. 2l, 1960 ATTORNEYS March 5, 1963 o. R. KLEIN 3,079,987

DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 2l, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 {fj/5.3. 32 3a 35 30 Ifo 38 /lfo '03 30 7o O INVENTOI'?.

al scar Roy wle/Ln 6 7169 76 78 BY ATTORNEYS March 5, 1963 o. R. KLEIN 3,079,987

f DooR CONSTRUCTION Filed 0G17. 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 35i-TI ...inl l, \35 Oscar Fog )fle/Ln, f

HT:TORNEY$ 3,079,987 DUUR SNS'IRUCTiGN Oscar Roy Klein, 74@ Custer, Salina, Kans. Filed (Bet. 21, 196i?, Eer. No. 64,072 7 Claims. (El. 16S-113) This invention relates to a sliding and adjustable door construction, and more particularly to a door construction for railroad freight cars or the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a door construction which is especially suitable for use with freight cars that are used for transporting or hauling bulk material such as grain, and wherein according to the present invention the doors are slidably connected to tracks, and wherein the tracks can be adjusted back and forth in the freight car so as to insure that there will be a tight fit or sem between the sliding doors and the openings in the freight car so that leakage or spillage of grain or other material will be eliminated or prevented, and wherein there is also provided for each door a hingedly mounted closure or panel which can be readily opened for any desired purpose.

Still another object is to provide such a door construcltion which includes means for adjusting the tracks that slidably support the doors, the doors consisting of a plu- -rality of sections which are hingedly connected together, and wherein there is provided a means for retaining or maintaining the closure of each door in opened or closed position as desired, and wherein there is also provided a manually opera-ble means for moving or shifting the tracks and doors so that for example a door can -be pulled up tight against the sills or posts in the freight car or other member on which the door construction of the present invention is being used.

Still another object is to provide such a door construction that is economical to manufacture and efcient in operation `and which is rugged in structure and foolproof in use.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claims, taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts are referred and indicated -by like reference characters land wherein:

FIGURE l is a fragmentary side elevational view illusetrating a freight car equipped with a door construction according to the present invention, and with parts broken away and in section.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles -to the view shown in FIGURE l and FIGURE 2 being a sectional View taken through both doors of the freight car and wherein one of the doors is in lowered position while the other door is in raised or elevated position.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is yan enlarged elevational view illustrating certain constructional details of the closure in the bottom of a sliding door together lwith the actuating means therefor.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view showing one of the anchor members for slidably supporting the upper end of the track.

FIGURE l0 is a perspective view showing a part of the locking mechanism for the door closure or panel.

asians? Patented Mar. 5, 1953 FIGURE ll is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating certain constructional details of the locking mechanism for the closure.

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken through the :anchor member and portion of the track shown in FIG- URE 9.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the members on the support member which slidably support the upper sections of the tracks.

FIGURE i4 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating the winch and cable mechanism for raising and lowering the doors.

FIGURE l5 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the winch and cable mechanism.

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view illustrating a modiiication wherein the present invention is shown being used in a construction wherein the tracks are not lined up with respect to each other.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 3i) indicates a portion of a conventional freight car or other hollow member which may be mounted on the usual railway wheels so that the freight car can travel along rails and wherein the freight car is adapted to be used for hauling or handling bulk material such as grain. The freight car 36 includes a horizontally disposed floor 3i as well as vertically disposed spaced parallel side walls 32 which are provided with `openings 33 therein, 4and these openings 33 can be used for removing grain from Ithe freight car or else the openings can be used as a means for permitting the grain or other bulk material to be loaded into the freight car. The freight car 30 fur-ther includes a top 34, FIGURE 2. The numeral 35 designates each of a pair of spaced parallel vertically disposed posts, and the posts 3S are arranged on opposite sides of each of the openings 33. The numerals 36 and 37 indicate horizontally disposed crosspieces which are arranged in the freight car 3i) above the posts 35.

The numeral 35i indicates a first pair of tracks, and the numeral 39 indicates a second pair of spaced apart tracks which each have the same general construction. The tracks 3S include horizontally disposed upper sections 40 as wall as the intermediate rounded sections 4l and the tracks 3S also include lower vertically disposed sections 42.

The second tracks 39 embody horizontally disposed upper sections 43, rounded or arcuate intermediate sections 4/5 and lower vertically disposed sections 45.

The numeral 46 designates each of a pair of anchor members which are affixed to the crosspiece 37, and the anchor members 46 have end portions of the tracks 38 slidably supported therein, FIGURE 9. Each of the anchor members 46 is U-shaped in cross section, FIGURE l2, and each anchor member 4.6 embodies portions 47 and 4S, the portion 4S being provided with slots 49, and securing elements Sii extend through the slots 49 and are connected to the sections 4d of the tracks 38. Flanges or ears 51 on the ends of the anchor members 46 are fastened as at 52 to the crosspiece 37.

The numeral 53 indicates a support member which includes a horizontally disposed top portion 54 that is suspended from the top 34 of the freight car 30 by means of hangers 55, FIGURE 1. The support member 53 further includes vertically disposed depending end portions 56 as well as diametrically opposed horizontally arranged bottom portions 57. Clips 53 depend from the top portion 54 of the support member `53 and are secured thereto in any suitable manner, and the clips 5S provide a slidable support for the sections 40 of the tracks 38. As shown in the drawings there is further provided brackets 59 on the upper inner ends of the portions 57, and the brackets 59 provide ya slidable support for the upper sections 43 of the tracks 39.

There is further' provided a pair of adjustable or movable doors 60, and one of the doors 60 is provided for the pair of tracks 3S, and another door is provided for the pair of tracks 39 and `these doors 60 are adapted to each have a similar construction as shown in the drawings; Each door 69 embodies a plurality'of sections 61V which are hingedly connected together as atY 62.

A Winch mechanism 69 is provided for raisingl and lowering each door 69, and one of the winch mechanisms 69 is shown in detail in FIGURES 14 yand 15 wherein .the numerals 64 and 65 indicate sheaves or drums which have cables 63 .and 63 connected thereto, and there is also provided drums 67 and 63 which have cables 66 and 66 thereon. The cables 63, 63 and 66, and 66' 'are Iadapted to be trained over guide pulleys such as the.

guide pulleys 70 and these cables .are suitably affixed as at=77= to portions'o-f the doors 60. A handwheel 71 is A, connected .to .an end of a rotary shaft 72, and the shaft 7-2 has a small gear 73 thereon Which meshes with la larger gear 74,v and the gear 74 is suitably affixed to a tubular member 75, the tubular member' 75 having the drums 6,4, 65, 467 and 68 axed thereto. vertically disposed panels S1 and 82am mounted beneath the rcight'car 39,

as for example as shown in FIGURE 1, and in FIGURE 1,4, andthe shaft 72 as well as the tubular member 75 is rotatably. supported by the panels 81 and 8.2. A dog 83 engages .a gear 78 for preventing accidental movement of `thewi'nch mechanism, yanda spring member S4 is provided'for urging or biasing the dog S3 into engagement with the ygear 7S. By properly rotating the hand wheel 7.1, .la do-or 6 6 can be raised and lowered as desired as .later described in thisV application. The shaft 72 is provid'edlwith lan router end portion 79 which maybe of square shape so as to permit connection to a driving motor lor the like 'as for example when the shaft is -to be. motor operated instead .of being manually turned.

Ameans is provided for permitting movement of the doorsY 6@ .along the tracks 38 and 39, Vand -this means comprises rollers 86 whichk engage the tracks, and the rollers S6 are suitably secured to the doors 69 by means` of .pins `or studs87, FIGURE 5.

There is further provided U-shaped base members S8 which -are secured to the lower inner portionsV of the posts.

Sfandlthe base membersV 88 include a back portion'89 aswell as side. portions 90, and a pin 91 extends between the side portions 90..and each base member 83. An apei` tured lug 165 is secured to the lower end portion of eachV trackr,.1and .the lug'165 is slidably mounted-on a pin 91 andthis construction permits .the .tracks tobe 'adjusted relative to the postsr 35..

- The numeral 92 indicates -a closure .or panel which is hingedl-y connected as .at 164 to the lowerrnost section 93 Y'of each door 6?, and .the closure 92 is 4mounted for movement into and out of opened and closed relation withj-respect to an enlarged rectangular opening 103 in the door section 93.'

A`locking'mech-anis-m 94 is provided for the closure 92, and-the locking mechanism 94 embodies an angle ironV or bar 95 Vwhich has an opstanding standard 96 secured lthereto :or formed integral .therewith intermediate the ends thereof. rihe standard 96 is provided with a yoke 97 lthat'is U-shaped, FIGURE' l1, and the yoke 97 includes portions Y98, 99 and 10i), and portions such as the portions 9S and 10Q-*are provided with apertures or openingsfltll and 102 therein. The numeral 104 indicates a `latch which is pivotallynconnected to the closure 92 by tively. These openings 111 and 112 are `adapted to register with the openings 101 and 162 when the parts areV in a position such as that shown in FIGURE 4 so .that a conventional lock o-r seal can be extended through these registering openingsinl order to prevent accidental movement .of the latch V104 or in order -to prevent unauthorized openi-ng of the closure 92.

Depending from the bar .and secured thereto or formed integral therewith isa plurality of spaced parallel keepers .113, and bearings 114 slidably support the keepers 113. The bearings 114'h-ave their ends axedas at '116 yto the closure 9.2, and each bearingt114 further includes an intermediate portion 117 that has the keeper' 113 .arranged in slidable engagement'therewith There is also provided bearings 118v for .the outermost keepers '7113, andthe bearings 118 have their inner ends 119 .atiixed las at 12tl1to the closure '92, .and the bearings 113 include portions 121 that engage the end-most keepers 1113, FIGURE 4.

There is also provided other bearing units whichare indicated' generallyby the numeral 122, ,and the bearing units 122 have their inner ends 123 fastened' as at :124 .tothe closure 92, and the bearing units 122 include inter.-V mediate portions 125' which have the keepers 11'3 slid- :ably engaging the same, andthe outer end portionsllt. of the .bearing units 1,22 are provided with slots 126y for vselectively receivingv retainersor hasps i127, and .the hasps 127 .are suitably atxed to the door section 93. Removable pins 128 Iare adapted to entend through the hasps 1 27 so as `to pro-vide .an ,additional locking feature for the closure 92, `and .a line or short piece ofrope 129may be provided tor anchoring each pin 128 to the door section 93 whereby the lines 1.2.9 will help prevent accidental loss of the pins, 123.

A guide pla-te 131 is connected to the` `clesureZ,- and; the numeral 132 indicates handle elements which are, connected to the lower portion of the closure 92, and these handle -elementst132 are, adapted to selectively engage hooks 133 on a section `of the door 60 so that Withy the handle `elements i132 'arranged in engagement with fthe hooks 133, the closure 92 can be held in an open positionas desired or required.

There is further provided :a manually operable -actuatf ing mechanism for the locking device 94, and this actuat ing means is shown in FIGURE 4 vand FIGURE 7 for example. The actuating mechanism comprises a crank 134V which embodies la first portion 135 and is rotatably' supported by bearings 1'36, and the bearings 136 are suitably -atixed to the closure 92. The crank 134 further includes a second portion 137 which is arranged :at right anglesl -Withrespect to -the rst portion 135, land the crank/134 alsoV includes a third portion 13S which isV arranged at. Y

right 'angl-es with respect to .the portion 137, and the portion 138 terminates in a fourth portion 139. 'Ihe numeral 141i indicates a manually movable lever which is swivelly connected Vto the fourth portion 139 of the crank4 134. A clip or bracket 141is aixed to the closure 921er selectively receiving the lever 140 when the parts are in the position shown VinFIGURE 4 for example. A bracket 142. receives the portion 137 of' the crank 134 whenthe parts .are in the position of FIGURE 4. It is to be noted that an end portion .143 of the lever 140 is mounted for niovernentin-to and `out of engagement withthe bar 95 in order to provide a means for moving the -lower ends of the keepers .113 into or out of engagement with openings 144, and the openings 144 are arranged toreceive the. lowerends' .of the keepersl 113. The :openings 144 are suitably spaced or positioned in horizon-tally Vdisposed.

base pieces or plates 145,k and Ithe base pieces 145 areV suitably mounted or secured on the Vfloor 31 of the rail# way reigh-t'car 30.

VThere is` further provided `a means for shifting they tracks and doors, and this means comprises plates 146' that are L-shaped in cross-section, and the plates146`are secured to the lower inner surfaces of the posts'Y 35` by'V means of securing elements 149. The plates 146 include portions 147 and 148 that are arranged at right angles with respect to each other, and the securing elements 149 extend through the portion 147 and into engagement with the posts 35, as shown in the drawings. First and second studs or pins G and 151 are secured as by welding to the lower vertical sections of the tracks 3S and 3?, and each stud 156 includes a `stern portion 152 as well as an enlarged head 153, while the stud 151 includes a stem portion 154 and an enlarged head 155. 'ihe numeral 156 indicates a hand piece or lever which is provided with a slot 157 for the projection therethrough of the stem portion 154 of the stud 151, and an end 15S of the hand piece 156 engages or abuts a portion of a corresponding plate 146, FEGURE 6. By manually moving a hand piece 156 in a clockwise direction, FGURE 6, the end portion 158 of the hand piece 156 will bear against a portion 159 of the plate 146 so that this will have the effect of moving the tracks and doors so that the doors can be brought tight up against the vertical posts in order to insure that grain or other material being hauled or handled will not accidentally leak or spill out between the doors and posts. After the door has been brought tight up against the posts, a wedge element 169 is positioned on the stud 15@ as shown in FEGURE 4 and FIGURE 6 for example, and then manual pressure on the hand piece 156 can be released so that the wedge element will prevent the door from accidentally moving away from the posts. The wedge element 16% is adapted to be retained in its proper position on the stud 15d by means of an arm 161 which is pivotally connected to the plate 146 as at 162.

As shown in FGURE 1, spaced apart rungs 163 are connected to the door 6d.

Referring now to FIGURE l6 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modilication wherein the numeral 3G' indi- Cates a freight car which has generally the same construction and use as the previously described freight car 30. However, in the freight car 3Q the posts 35 are oiset relative to the posts 35 and it will be seen that this staggered or oiset arrangement of the posts will still permit the door construction of the present invention to be utilized and for example the freight car 3d may include side walls 32 which have openings that are not opposite each other as in the case of the device shown in FG- URE 2 for example. Thus, the tracks 33 and 39 are adapted to be staggered as shown in FIGURE. 16 when the present invention is being utilized on a modiiication such as that shown in FIGURE 16, and the operation or use and construction of the device of FGURE l6 is generally the same as that shown in the previous views such as FIGURE 2.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a door construction which is especially suitable for use with freight cars or the like wherein such cars are being used for hauling or handling bulk material such as grain. While the present invention has been described and illustrated specifically for use with freight cars, it is to be understood that the door construction is applicable to other members such as grain bins, store houses or the like.

With the parts arranged as shown in the drawings, it will be seen that there is provided the pairs of tracks 38 and 39, and these tracks are shiitable or movable. Thus, the tracks 3S include the upper sections il as well as the rounded sections 41 and the lower vertically disposed sections 42, and the upper sections d@ of the tracks 38 are slidably connected to the anchor members 156 as for example as shown in FiGURE 9. The anchor members 46 are adapted to be secured as at 52 to the crosspiece 37 so that the anchor members 46 will remain stationary. However, the portions ab of the anchor members 46 are provided with slots 49 whereby securing elements 50 can extend through these slots 49 and into engagement with the upper sections di) of the tracks 3S and due to the provision of the slots 49, the pins or securing elements 5d can shift back and forth in the slots 49 in order to permit the necessary or desired movement of the upper ends of the tracks 38. In addition, the clips 58 on the support member 53 provide a slidable support for the upper sections 4t?, and the support member 53 is adapted to be suspended from the top of the freight car 39 as for example by means of the hangers 55. The lower ends of the tracks 33 are provided with the apertured lugs 165, and these lugs engage the pins 51, and the pins 91 are supported by the U-shaped base members 53, the base members d being secured to the lower inner portions or" the posts 35 and this construction serves to insure that the tracks can shift or move to the desired location.

Similarly, the other pair of tracks 39 are slidably supported, and the tracks 39 have their upper sections 43 slidably supported by the brackets 59 on the support member 53. The lower vertical sections 45 of the tracks 39 are movably supported by mea-ns of apertured lugs 165 slida-bly or adjustably engaging pins 91 on base members 86 in the same manner as described in connection with the slidable supports for the lower ends of the tracks 3S.

ln order to adjust or move the tracks, there is provided the hand piece 156 which are arranged as shown in FIG- URE 6 for example. Thus, to move the tracks to a position such as that shown in FIGURE 6 so that a door 60 is tight against the posts 35, the hand piece 156 is moved in a generally clockwise direction from right to left in FIGURE 6 and since the stud 151 is connected to the hand piece 156, then with the inner end of the stud 151 secured to the track section 45 or 42, it will be seen that wtih the end 158 of the hand piece 156 bearing against the portion 159 of the plate 146, that this manual movement of the hand piece 156 will cause the tracks to be moved or pulled towards the plate 146. Since the rollers 6 of the doors 60 are arranged in engagement with the tracks, it Will be seen that this movement of the tracks by the hand piece 156 will cause the doors to likewise be moved so that as for example the doors can be moved tight up against the vertical posts in order to prevent leakage or wastage of grain or the like. The plate 146 is suitably secured to a corresponding post 35, and `after the track and door has been pulled tight as shown in FIGURE 6, a Wedge element 16) is adapted to be arranged on the stud 15h and then manual pressure on the hand piece 156 can be released and the wedge element 16h will maintain the door in its desired position tight against the posts 35. The pivotally mounted arm 161 can be `arranged as shown in FlGURE 4 for example so that the wedge 1er? will be maintained in engagement with the stud 15d. When the wedge element 166 is to be removed, the arm 161 can be pivoted on its pivot pin 162 to an out of the way position so as to permit removal of the wedge element 169 as for example when the doors are to be moved inwardly away from the posts 35.

Each of the doors 6G includes a plurality of sections 61 which are hinged together as at 62 so that the doors can travel through actuated paths as for example the door 6l) shown in the upper right portion of FIGURE 2 can bend at the hinges 62 as for example when the door is moving in the vicinity of a rounded section such as the section 44 or section 41 in order to insure that there will be no binding. rthe doors 611 are connected to the tracks by means of the brackets 87 which have the rollers or wheels S6 thereon, and the rollers 86 are mounted for travel in the U-shaped tracks 38 and 39 so that the doors can be readily positioned or moved to the desired location.

There is further provided a means for raising .and lowering the doors, so that the doors 6i) can be raised or -lowered as desired or required and this raising and lowering mechanism includes the pair of winch and cable mech- Ianisms indicated by the numeral 69 and shownfin detail in FIGURES 14 and 15. By :manually turning the hand amasar 7 wheel 71, the shaft 72 will be turned, and since the gear 73 on the shaft 72 meshes with the gear 74 on the tubular member 75, it will be seen that this rotation of the Vhand wheel 71 will rotate the tubular member 75 `so as to turn or rotate the drums 64, 65, 67 Aand 68. The cables 63, 63', 66 and 66' are trained over these drums respectively so that with these cables fastened as at 77 to the doors, it will be seen that by manually turning the hand wheel 71 the door can be raised or -lowered since the cables will exert the required pressure to move the door in the proper direction. By manually turning the wheel 71 in one direction, the door will be lowered, and by turning the wheel 71 in the opposite direction the door will -be raised. The dog 83 is urged into engagement with the gear 78 on the tubular member 75 by means of the spring S4 so that this dogY functions as a lock in order to prevent Iaccident-al shifting of the winch mechanism, and when the winch y mechanism is to be actuated, the dog can be manually moved away from the gear 7S in order to permit rotation of the tubular member 75 by the hand wheel 71 as previously stated.

By raising or lowering lthe doors, the openings 33 can `be exposed or covered as desired so that grain can be placed in or removed or held in the freight car as desired, depending upon the position of the doors.

Each door 60 further includes` a closure 92 in the lower portion thereof, and this closure 92 is hingedly connected to a section 93 of the door by means of Ka hinge 164, and by pivoting the closure 92 on the hinge `164 Ito a raised position, and opening 103 can be exposed so that grain can be removed through such an opening 103 vfor -any desired pur-pose. The locking mechlanism'94 is provided for selectively maintaining the closure 92 in closed position, and this locking mechanism 94 includes the movable or shiftable 'bar 95 that has the keepers 113 aiiixed thereto, and the lower ends of the keepers 113 are mounted for movement into and out of engagement with openings 144 and base pieces 145 so that -for example with the parts in the position or" FIGURE 4, the lower ends of the keepers 113 are engaging the openings 144 so that pivotal movement of the closure 92 on an axis extending through the hinge 164 will be prevented. However, when the bar 95 is moved upward slightly the keepers 113 will also be moved upward so that their lower ends will clear the openings 144 so that the closure 92 can be opened, after the other parts have lbeen unlatched. When the closure 92 is moved to opened or raised position, the handles 132 are adapted to engage the hooks 133 so as to retain the closure in opened position.

The keepers 113 are arranged in slidable engagement with bearings 118 and 122 as well as with bearings 114,

' and the bearings 122 include inner end portions 123 which i hasps when the parts are in the position of FGURE 4 in order to help maintain the closure in locked position. By removing the pins 128 from the hasps 127, the end portion 130 will be lable to move away from the corresponding hasp 127 as for example when the closure is Ibeing moved to open position.

The standard 96 is secured to or formed integral with the bar 95, and the standard 96 carries the L-shaped body piece 108 which is adapted to coact with the yoke 97. For example when the parts -are in the position of FIG- URE 4, the spring pressed latch 104 will be urged in a oounterc1ockwise direction by means of the spring memlber 106, so that the L-shaped body piece 108 will overlie a portion ofY the yoke V97 and the portion 169 of the body piece 108 will be arranged over the portion 9S of the yoke 97 so that upward movement of the standard 96 and .locking bar 95 will be prevented. In this position the latch 104 is conveniently held behind the member 1312 The registering openings 111 and 101 and 112 and 102 may receive Va portion of a conventional padlock or'car seal so as to prevent unauthorized movement or actuation of the locking mechanism. By pivoting the latch 104 ina clockwise direction, FIGURE 4, the body piece 108 will move out ofthe path of the yoke 97 so that the locking bar can be moved upwardly, Iand after this bar land its associated parts have been raised or moved upwardly, pressure on the latch 104 can be released so that the spring 106 will urge the latch 104 in a counter-clockwise direction so that the portion 109 will be below the portion 99 in order to selectively maintain the standard and locking bar in raised position. K

There is al-so provided a manually operable meansfor facilitating the movement of the locking bar 95 and this means comprises a lever which is swivelly or pivotally connected to the portion 138 of the crank 134. The lever 140 is adapted to have its end portion 143 arrangedrin engagement with the upper or lower portion of the bar95, and the crank 134 is swivelly supported by means of the bearings 136 so that the crank 134 functions as afulcrum for the lever 140. Thus, to lower the locking bar 95,

the parts are `arranged as shown in FIGURE 7 whereinV the end portion 143 engages the upper portion of the bar 95 and then by manual-ly moving the lever 140 in a clockwise direction, FIGURE 7, pressure will be applied by the end 143 downward on the bar 95 so that for example the bar 95 can be moved downwardly land wherein Vthe keepers 113 can be moved down into engagement with the openings 144 so that the mechanism 94 can be locked. Similarly, due to the swivel connection between the lever 140 .and the crank 134, the end 143 can be larranged in engagement with the lower portion of the bar 95 so that an upwardly directed force can be applied to the bar 95 in order to facilitate upward movement of the bar 95 and upward movement of the parts such as the keepers 113.r

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in diierent shapes or sizes.

It will be seen that there has been provided Va grain door for a railroad freight car to prevent the grain from accidentally spilling out of the doorway such as the doorway or opening 33. In use, it is to be noted that cars of grain have to have samples of grain taken from the car for inspection and grading purposes and a ygrain door is left approximately three feet from the top of the door space to permit men to climb inside the car Vand get samples of grain. Y

Temporary grain doors that are destroyed or removed from the car each time a load of grain is unloaded makes it very expensive and costs millions of dollars each year and the railroad freight car grain door of the present invention has been provided as a much needed device freight of any description other than grain or such commodities.

Then, any time that the car is needed for grain or suchY commodities, the grain door is ready for instant use and Y it yis only necessary to lower the door into place and it is ready for service. The grain door has the winch for lowering and raising the same quickly and easily and the dog 83 engages 'the gear 7-8 so that there is provided a locking device for holding the door partly open or inV Y' any desired position. Each door consists of a series of sections hinged together. When the grain or commodity is loaded in the car there is a considerable amount of pressure and weight against the grain door and the door cannot be raised with such weight against 'it so that in the lower port-ion of the door there is provided the dump gate or closur Z?, which opens independently of the remaining portion of the door and when this gate or closure 92 is opened it permits the grain to flow freely out of the car into the grain pit below so as to relieve the pressure of the grain against the grain door and then the entire door can be raised or easily opened with the winch or raising device. The entire load can be unloaded through the opening 163 if desired so that it is not necessary to open the entire door.

The tracks are mounted as previously described so .that the grain cannot get in the rollers 26 whereby there will be no interference with normal functioning or movement of the door. The doors are adapted to lit tight against the posts and lining of the car to prevent the grain from leaking out and this is accomplished by means of the floating track or mounting which permits the tracks to float or move back and forth slightly so that there will be just enough slack to release the pressure of the door from the door posts or lining to provide clearance so that the door can be raised, and the door and tracks move forwardly slightly just sufficient to bring the door tight against the door posts and linin7 to prevent the grain from leaking around the door. The previously described mechanism yis provided for operating the door and moving the track and door back and forth in ya highly convenient manner.

lt is to be noted that two grain doors are needed for each freight car, and one is arranged on each side of the car and the doors operate in the U-shaped channel iron 'tracks 3S and 39, and one set of tracks .'53 has lits upper portion or section do above the upper section 43 of the other tracks 3% and this construction permits the doors to operate or move Without interfering with each other and when the doors are not needed they are in the raised position in the upper sections of the tracks near the top of the car out of the way. The tracks only need move a short distance in order to accomplish the lloating action previously described.

The anc-.lor members se can be fastened to the crosspiece i7 or else they can be connected to the lining F.6d of the freight car.

The openings lil-fi may be cnt through the metal threshold plate or metal strip 45 that is over the iloor .3l in the doorway 33 that the dump door keeper bars i143 pass through.

Some freight cars re lsuch that the doors are not exactly opposite each other and for such freight cars a hinge brace or support can be attached to the roof of the car to support the one track that does not contact the wall or door posts than it ordinarily would if the doors were opposite.

The winch mechanism dit provides a safe and easy lifting device for the grain door and the locking dog 3 will hold the door open or partly open or in any desired position. This dog can 'be released when the doors are to be moved and the spring member Sli applies pressure to the dog 53 so that accidental shifting thereof is prevented.

The cables are arranged so that when a door is in downward position, two of the -inside cables are already wound on a set `of drums and then when the two outside cables start winding up, the two inside cables start unwinding so that when the door is in the up position the hand wheel can be turned in a desired direction and then the door can be lowered so that either or both doors can be raised or lowered, and the winch mechanism 69 is adapted to be attached tothe sills the railroad freight oar under the floor near the center of the door, and braces can be used wherever desired or required.

In addition, the doors of the present invention can be used for grain bins or buildings, as well as for railroad freight cars.

As previously stated there is one winch mechanism o9 for each door 62?, and each winch mechanism 6? has one hand wheel 7l, and the hand wheel 71 is axed to the shaft 72, and likewise the gear '73 is aixed to the shaft 72 the shaft 72 as well yas the tubular member 75 being rotatably supported by panels such as the panels Aill and 32 and these panels in effect may be a U-shaped frame which supports the mechanism of lthe winch. The numeral '76 indicates the bottom portion of the U-frame, and this U-shaped frame is indicated generally by the numeral 39, FlGURE 14. The numeral Si indicates the outside panel of the U-frame 3%, and the numeral t3?. indicates the inside panel of the U-frarne Si). The numeral e3 indicates an inside cable, and the numeral de indicates an outside cable.

Similarly, ythe numerals 63 indicates an inside cable and the numeral 66 indicates an outside cable, and the outside cable winds the door up and is trained over a drum, and the inside cable may be said to wind the door down and is also 'trained over a drum as previously stated.

The member l3l is a guide plate near the top of the latch device lll-i and standard to maintain the parts lined up in place and the guide plate 131 can be secured =to the closure 92 with bolts or the like.

The wedge element loo is adapted to have a chain loll attached thereto, FIGURE 4, so that the wedge element lo@ will not accidentally become lost.

The shaft 72 or" the winch mechanism 69 has a square end portion 79 extending through the hub of Ithe hand Wheel 7l. several inches so that a power motor or the like with a square socket can be used it desired for operating the winch mechanism.

As shown in FEGURE 2, holes or openings 25 may be arranged in the front side of the tracks so that a pin such as 4the pin 24 can be extended through these holes 25 in a downward slanting position just below the bot- -tom rollers 86 when the door is in fully raised position and this will function as a safety feature to prevent the door from falling if a cable breaks, and this safety pinl 24 is adapted to be securred to the door posts with a chain such as the chain 23 so that loss of the pin 24 will be prevented.

As shown in FlGURE 5 for example, shims 22 are adapted to be placed between the door posts 35 and the member S8 so that the tracks can be positioned the same width apart `at both the bottom and the top for proper operation of the rollers 86 and carriers S7.

With further regard to the winch, it is to be noted that when the door is in a downward position two of the cables are already wound on the drums, and when the other two cables start winding up, the other two cables start unwinding, and this cycle of operation -is repeated as the winch is actuated.

Any Ikind of material can be used and for example if the parts are made of wood, the wood can be reinforced with metal plates, braces or the like, and if made of metal it can be corrugated or reinforced for strength, and the number of panels can vary as desired or required.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hollow member, a floor, vertically disposed side walls and a top, there being doorway openings in said side walls, vertically disposed posts on opposite sides of lsaid openings, horizontally disposed crosspieces above said posts, rst and second pairs of tracks in said hollow member, each of said tracks inc uding horizontally disposed upper sections, intermediate rounded sections and vertically disposed lower sections, the upper horizontally disposed sections of said first tracks being arranged above the upper sections of said second tracks, anchor members afxed to one of said crosspieces, the upper horizontally disposed sections of said rst tracks being slidably connected to said anchor members, a support member including a horizontally disposed top portion, hangers connecting the top portion of said support member to the top of said hollow member, `said support member further including vertically disposed depending end portions and horizontally disposed bottom portions, clips depending from the top portion of said support member for slidably supporting the upper sections of said first tracks, brackets on the upper inner ends of the bottom portions of said support member for slidably supporting the upper section of the 4second tracks, adjustable doors movably connected toeach pair of tracks, each' of said doors including a plurality of sections hingedly connected together, rollers connected to said doors and engaging said tracks, cables and WinchesV for raising and lowering the doors along the tracks, U-shaped base members secured to the lower inner portions of said posts,- pins supported by said base members, and apertured lugs on the lower end portions of the tracks slidably engaging said prins.

2. The structure as deined in claim 1 wherein said Y hollow member is a railway freight car.

3. The structure as dened in claim 1 and further including a closure hingedly connected to the lowermost sections ot each door, and a locking mechanism for said closure.

4. In a hollow member, a floor, side walls and -a top, there being doorway openings in said side walls, posts on opp-osito sides of said openings, crosspieces above said post, first and second pairs of tracks in said hollow member, each of said tracks including upper sections, intermediate rounded sections and vertically disposed lower sections, the upper sections of said tirst tracks being arranged above the upper sections of said second tracks, anchor members afiixed to one of said crosspieces, the upper sections of said first tracks being vslidably connected to said anchor members, a support member including a top portion, hangers connecting the top portion of said support member to the top of said hollow member, said support member further including depending end portions and bottom portions, clips depending from the top portion of said support member for slidably supporting the upper sections of said i'irst tracks', brackets on the bottom portions of said support member for slidably supporting the upper section of the second tracks, adjustable doors movably connected to each pair of tracks, each of said doors including a plurality of sections hingedly con- Y nected together, rollers'connected to said doors and engaging said tracks, cables and Winches for raising and lowering the doors along the tracks, base members secured to said posts, pins supported by said base members, and apertured lugs onV the lower end portions of the tracks slidably engaging said pins, said hollow member bei-ng a railroad freight car, a closure hingedly connected to the lower-most section of each door, a locking mechanism for each closure and said locking mechanism comprising a movable bar adjacent the outer surface of the closure, an opstanding standard afiixed to said bar, an apertured lugafiixed to said standard, a spring pressed latch pivotally connected to said closure, an apertured body piece carried by said latch for engaging said yoke; a' plurality of spaced apart keepers depending from 'said bar and secured thereto, base pieces on said floor and said base pieces being provided with a plurality of openings therein forfselectively receiving the lower ends of said keepers, bearings connected to said closure Vfor slidably supporting said keepers, certain of said bearings including `outer end portions which are provided with slots, retainers for projecting through said slots, pins releasably engaging said retainers, and manually operable actuating means for said locking mechanism.

5. The Astructure as defined in claiml wherein said last named manually operable actuating means comprises a crank adjustably connected to said closure, and a lever swivelly connected to said crank for selectively engaging thefbarof the lockingmechanism.

Y t2 6. The structure .as defined in claim 4 and `further including handle elements connected to said closure, and

hooks connected to the door for selectively being engaged by the handle elements to retain the closure in opened position.

7. In a hollow member, a floor, side walls and a top,

there being doorway openings in said side walls, posts onY opposite `sides of said openings, horizontally disposed crosspieces above said posts, first and second pairs of tracks in said hollow member, each of said tracks including upper sections, intermediate rounded sections and vertically disposed lower sections, the upper sections of said first tracks being arranged above the upper sections of said second tracks, .anchor members aihxed to one of said crosspieces, the upper sections of said first tracks being slidably connected to said anchor members, a support member including a top portion, hangers connecting the top portion of said support member to the top of said hollow member, said support member further including Vdepending end portions and bottom portions, clips depending from the top portion of said support member for slidably supporting the upper sections of said irst tracks, brackets on the upper inner ends of the bottom portions of said support member for slidably supporting the upper section of the second tracks, adjustable doors movably connected to each pair of tracks, each of said doors including a plurality of sections hingedly connected together, rollers connected to said doors .and engaging said tracks, cables and Winches for raising and lowering the doors along the tracks, base members secured to the lower inner portions of said posts, pins supported by said base member and apertured lugs on the lower end portions of the tracks slidably engaging said pins, said hollow member being a railroad freight car, a closure hingedly connected to the lowermostV section of each door, a locking mechanism for each closure and said locking mechanism comprising a movable bar adjacent the outer surface of the closure, an upstanding standard affixed to said bar, an apertured lug ailixed to said standard, a spring pressed latch pivotally connected to said closure, an apeitured rbody piece carried by said latch for engaging said yoke; a plurality of spaced Aapart keepers depending from said bar and secured thereto, base pieces on said Y Y door and said base pieces being provided with a plurality of spaced apart `openings therein for selectively receiving the lower ends of said keepers, bearings connected to said closure for slidably supporting said keepers, certain of said bearings including outer end portions which are provided with slots, retainers for projecting through said slots, pins releasably engaging said retainers, and manuf ally operable actuating means for said locking mechanis/m, said manually operable actuating means comprising a crank adjustably connected to the closure, .a lever `swivelly connected to said crank for selectively engaging the bar of the locking mechanism, handle elements connected to said closure, hooks connected to a section of the door for selective engagement by the handle elements, and manually operable means for shifting the tracks and doors, said last named means comprising plates secured to said posts, iirst and second studs ailixed to 'said tracks and said tirst stud extending through said plate, a hand piece having said second stud projecting therethrough and saidY hand piece engaging said plate, a wedge element releasably mounted on said first stud, and a pivotally mounted arm pivotally connected to said plate for selectively engaging said wedge element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 872,479 Tiehenor Dee. 3, 1907 1,125,344 noch et a1. Jan. 19, 1915 1,869,347 Johnson July 26, 1932 

1. IN A HOLLOW MEMBER, A FLOOR, VERTICALLY DISPOSED SIDE WALLS AND A TOP, THERE BEING DOORWAY OPENINGS IN SAID SIDE WALLS, VERTICALLY DISPOSED POSTS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID OPENINGS, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED CROSSPIECES ABOVE SAID POSTS, FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF TRACKS IN SAID HOLLOW MEMBER, EACH OF SAID TRACKS INCLUDING HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED UPPER SECTIONS, INTERMEDIATE ROUNDED SECTIONS AND VERTICALLY DISPOSED LOWER SECTIONS, THE UPPER HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SECTIONS OF SAID FIRST TRACKS BEING ARRANGED ABOVE THE UPPER SECTIONS OF SAID SECOND TRACKS, ANCHOR MEMBERS AFFIXED TO ONE OF SAID CROSSPIECES, THE UPPER HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SECTIONS OF SAID FIRST TRACKS BEING SLIDABLY CONNECTED TO SAID ANCHOR MEMBERS, A SUPPORT MEMBER INCLUDING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED TOP PORTION, HANGERS CONNECTING THE TOP PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO THE TOP OF SAID HOLLOW MEMBER, SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FURTHER INCLUDING VERTICALLY DISPOSED DEPENDING END PORTIONS AND HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BOTTOM PORTIONS, CLIPS DEPENDING FROM THE TOP PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR SLIDABLY SUPPORTING THE UPPER SECTIONS OF SAID FIRST TRACKS, BRACKETS ON THE UPPER INNER ENDS OF THE BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR SLIDABLY SUPPORTING THE UPPER SECTION OF THE SECOND TRACKS, ADJUSTABLE DOORS MOVABLY CONNECTED TO EACH PAIR OF TRACKS, EACH OF SAID DOORS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TOGETHER, ROLLERS CONNECTED TO SAID DOORS AND ENGAGING SAID TRACKS, CABLES AND WINCHES FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE DOORS ALONG THE TRACKS, U-SHAPED BASE MEMBERS SECURED TO THE LOWER INNER PORTIONS OF SAID POSTS, PINS SUPPORTED BY SAID BASE MEMBERS, AND APERTURED LUGS ON THE LOWER END PORTIONS OF THE TRACKS SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID PINS. 